Hydraulic hammers and pneumatic hammers are used on work sites to break up large hard objects before such objects can be moved away. The hammers may be mounted to back hoes or excavators, or may be hand-held. Typically, the hammer assembly may be powered by either a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure source. During a work or power stroke, a drive fluid at high pressure may be applied to a first shoulder of a piston, thereby driving the piston in a forward direction. The piston then may strike a tool bit, which may be driven in the forward direction thereby causing a work tip of the tool bit to strike the rock, concrete, asphalt or other hard object to be broken up.
During a return stroke, fluid pressure may be applied to a second shoulder of the piston in order to return the piston to its original position. It is desirable to provide lubrication to the bearing surfaces of the hammer at intervals during operation of the hammer.
It is known to incorporate a lubrication system that is separate from the hammer, for example by being mounted on a carrier machine. In such machine-mounted systems, the lubrication system does not move with the hammer when the hammer is removed from the machine for use on another carrier machine.
Alternatively, it is known to mount a lubrication system externally on the hammer, i.e. an on-board system. On-board systems may need external hoses and other external components that are exposed to damage during use of the hammer.
It is an object of the present disclosed embodiments to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages.